The Crystal Palace and Other Legends

In the quiet village of Zurdorf, a gentle old nurse is beloved by the children for the wondrous tales she weaves while they convalesce. One storm‑filled night a silent stranger arrives, lantern in hand, and urges her to follow him through the rain‑slick streets. Reluctant but curious, she steps into the swollen Rhine, where the water swallows them both.

She awakens in a dazzling crystal palace, its walls glittering with gems and silver. There, a golden‑haired nymph lies ill upon a crystal couch, and the stranger—now revealed as a water spirit—still asks the nurse to tend the enchanted lady. As she cares for the nymph, whispers of the spirit’s world drift through the palace, promising a journey beyond ordinary life.